Betrayed
by GrapefruitRed
Summary: Deryn finally reveals herself to Alek, but things do not go quite as she had planned.
1. A Risk Taken

I sencerely apologize, for I am, in reality, not Scott Westerfield. (But one can only wish.)

A vibrant rainbow of colors was flung against the evening sky as the sun set in all its glory. The tough skin of the Leviathan cradled her as she rested her legs, caught in the moment. She was aware of every motion – every great breath – of the massive airship as it swayed to a tune heard only by its self. Deryn found herself lost in the serenity of the magnificence of nature, linked to life by every fiber in her body. How the chilling wind raced past and bite at her ears and how the view of the world below as seen by a great bird of prey could elicit such emotions in a human being is one of the unsolved mysteries of all time.

However, in the mind of a lowly midshipman such as herself, these sensations made her feel like she belonged. Yet Deryn knew, inside, that in the sea of lies and deception she had drowned herself in, as long as she reached for the skies, it could never be. She would have to reveal herself to Alek sometime or another and he had gained her trust in many accounts. Logically, it was high time to tell him, but hidden beneath her logic was a waterfall of emotions and she desperately hoped that Alek harbored emotions for her – something other than brotherly love, that is.

What was she thinking? Se must be positively bonkers! Why would Alek like his best friend? A friend, she thought, that he believed to be a lad like himself, not a silly little lassie playing dress up. In her internal battle between rationality and feeling, Deryn failed to notice Alek's approach, though each footfall sent shudders through the spine of the enormous beastie, until he was almost upon her.

"Barking spiders, Alek! Don't sneak up on me like that. I almost bloody ripped your face off!" Deryn was suddenly glad that her outburst masked the blush now blooming across her face from where her thoughts had been leading her.

"I sincerely apologize Mr. Sharp for interrupting your pondering, I simply wished to remind you that you and I had a previous engagement for which we are now overdue."

"Oh cut the clart, Alek. 'Course I'll fence with you." The other boy's face broke out in a silly lopsided grin that nearly flipped her stomach right off the edge of the airship. Keeping her secret a little longer was worth it just to see that smile one more time. But, no, she had to tell him because she was a good… friend. Oh how she wished she could be more, but alas it would never be.

"Alek, there's something I have to tell you. You see, the thing is…. Oh blisters, I'm a girl!"

"W-what?" Despite the warmth of the Leviathan's skin beneath his body, Alek turned deathly pale and it appeared as if he might faint and slip off the spine of the airship. "Dylan, I don't underst—"

"Stop calling me Dylan! That's not my name. It's Deryn, Deryn Sharp. And everything else I told you about me is true."

"I see. You just happened to fail to mention your true gender. Is that all?" Alek knew the instant Dy-Deryn spoke that she spoke the truth, he knew his friend well enough to see it in her eyes. Or did he even know her at all?

"I tried to tell you before, remember in the egg room when the bloody boffin walked in?" In truth, he did remember but his face remained stiff and cold as he stood and turned away. "You won't tell will you? Alek?" But all the imposter who had called herself his friend received was the sight of his back growing smaller and smaller as he left her there, shocked in to stillness in the light of a sinking sun. But really, what else could she expect from the Archduke of Austria-Hungary?

More chapters on the way!


	2. Get Out of my Head

Deryn and Alek, naturally, hadn't spoken for days. She supposed she should be angry at him for the way he was ignoring her, but all she could feel was a hollow cavity where he used to fill her heart. She went about her everyday duties, for they were a good distraction, but even oblivious Newkirk noticed her lack of fervor as she scaled the ratlines to feed the flechette bats.

At this particular moment, however, she found herself shuffling down the hallway, half dragging a drowsy Tazza who had been, there was only one word to describe it, shoved from his nap and into her calloused hands by the lady boffin. The image was very ungraceful, to say the least. This was no duty for an airman, and one serving on the Leviathan, to boot! But the boffin insisted, and they all knew who _really_ ran the ship.

Things had been lazy lately, and Deryn was at least glad for something to keep her mind of _him_. And that was why she didn't even hesitate to run back to Dr. Barlow's quarters, deposit the grateful-looking thylacine, and sprint up to the spine the second she heard the bells go off.


	3. Only Fitting

Sorry the last chapter was a little rushed, I just wanted to get to the good part.

xxx

Alek didn't know _why_ the bells went off; he didn't know _why_ he even responded. All he knew was that his feet were carrying him towards the spine. In truth, he was just following everyone else, but he assumed they knew what they were doing, so he just let himself be pushed along by the rushing airmen.

His legs were quickly tiring at the fast pace, and he realized just how out of shape he had become in those few days he had spent sulking in his chambers. Alek had never realized how much energy Dy-Deryn pumped into his life. Before he ever met her, his life was all fancy dinner parties and boring meetings with rich nobles who cared nothing for his person, but only for the possibility that, someday, he might be in a place of power. But then he was thrown into the center of the war, dragged along through the revolution in Istanbul and various other adventures. And Deryn was beside him every step of the way. If anything, his time alone had made him realize how boring life was without her.

…

It wasn't long before Alek found himself topside, along with possibly the entire population of the airship. He had never realized how many people the ship held, but once again he was impressed with her enormity. Through all of the gathered heads, he could just barely make out a platform at the far end of the beasty. How long had that been there? But the matter was unimportant because, at the moment, he was jostling his way through the crowd, trying to make his way towards the stand.

Finally, only a few rows of bodies separated him from his quarry. _Good enough, _he thought. After all, he didn't want to call too much attention to himself.

…

It was a matter of minutes before anything of great importance happened, and Alek figured that the captain was just waiting for the entire crew to assemble. _What could be this barking important?_ He found himself using one of Deryn's phrases. He had been doing that more often as of late. It would have to stop.

And just like that, he found his thoughts wandering back to her sky blue eyes. Her lush lips. Her ruffled short hair that just barely brushed her shoulders, but looked perfect on her. Her- _Stop it you __dummkoft__! What is she to you? Just a Darwinist girl, common as dirt, and one who looks like a man!_ But Alek was a horrible liar and was not even able to fool himself. Who was he kidding? He could never see Deryn Sharp as a man. She was beautiful, stunning, brilliant, courageous, _and completely off-limits!_ Had he made a mistake, running off that night after she told him her most important secret? He tried to tell himself no, that she didn't matter, but still…

"If I could have everyone's attention please," Alek's head snapped up and he found himself looking at the captain, smartly dressed as always, standing stiff as a rod at the podium. "Something greatly… disturbing… has recently come to my attention. Would a Midshipman Dylan Sharp please make his way to the podium?" _Oh no, oh no, oh no…_ Alek turned to his left just in time to see a very confused Deryn pushing her way through the crowd. As she reached the stage and turned to face the crew, Alek could see a glimmer of something in her eye. Was that… _fear?_ She must have realized that her emotions were showing, and attempted to regain her composure. The captain turned to face her.

"Mr. Sharp, I have been informed, by a source who wishes to remain anonymous, of a grave matter. Mr. Sharp," _No, no, no, no… _"Are you not, in fact, a woman?"

Deryn stood frozen, all of her strength and composure slipping away as she mumbled something incoherent. "I'm sorry?" The captain spoke again.

"Yes, sir." The girl announced, reaching for confidence and falling somewhere between quiet acceptance and uncertainty.

"I am ashamed of your actions, _Miss_ Sharp. And what, may I ask, it your true name?"

"Deryn, Deryn Sharp, sir." Her voice was soft and timid, but everyone could hear her through the absolute silence. Even the wind seemed quieter.

"Well then, Deryn Sharp, I have been in correspondence with Lord Churchill ever since I suspected your secret, and he has come to a decision concerning your punishment. It is the Lord's request to make an example out of you, for any women daft enough to attempt the same." Deryn still stood straight and at attention, the picture of a perfect soldier.

"You will, therefore, be dishonorably discharged and serve a life sentence in prison for your actions. If you will please hand over your medal and rigging knife?" Deryn slumped over and resignedly traded her medal and rigging knife for a life of chains.

But as two men stepped towards her with handcuffs in their hands (obviously just for show), the girl leapt forward and screamed to the world and all who would hear her, "To every woman out there, if I made it this far, so can you! And up yours Churchill, because I will fly!" And with that, she turned her back the shocked throng of onlookers, and rushed towards the edge of the great airship. The rough membrane left her booted feet, and she flew.

"Nooo!" Alek ran to where Deryn had been standing less than a second ago, and grabbed at empty air. But he could not grasp his love, for she had flown away towards heaven on light wings, and his, laden with guilt, anchored him to the ground.

It was his fault, all his fault. The war, everything. Thousands of men had died because of him, but all he cared about was the one girl he had killed. The girl who had trusted him and who he had betrayed by giving away her most sacred secret of all. The boy fell to his knees, his facade slipping away because, underneath, he was no man, but only a child with the weight of the world upon his shoulders much too soon.

He felt Volger at his shoulder and desperately grabbed for the fencing sabre at the man's side, but Volger was much too quick. Suiting wasn't it, that Deryn's life ended doing the thing she loved most. But he, he did not even deserve to die, it was much too good for him.

xxx

Alternate ending:

But as two men stepped towards her with handcuffs in their hands (obviously just for show), the girl leapt forward and snatched her rigging knife from the shocked captain. In one fluid motion, so quick that anyone who blinked would have missed it, Deryn flipped it open and plunged it through her heart.

"Nooo!" Alek ran to where Deryn slipped to the ground and lay bleeding, but he was too late. Fitting, that she stabbed herself through the heart, seeing as it was her love who betrayed her and broke her heart. Yes, her love. Alek knew it now, though he had probably known all along, since that first night when she had revealed herself to him.

And then Alek felt a pain that he had never felt before. It struck his heart like a dagger, but a thousand times worse. He let out an unworldly, keening wail that was silenced only by his own hands and the same blade that felled his true heart.

xxx

I almost made myself cry ;*(  
>But I was craving tragedy, so there you have it.<p> 


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